The invention relates to the display of product and pricing information in connection with product display in supermarkets and the like.
In supermarkets, mass merchandising outlets and other retail stores, it is common practice to display merchandise on organized shelving. The shelving typically carries a pricing channel at the outer edge of each of the shelves for displaying specific pricing and product information relating to the adjacent product display. Typically, such pricing channels comprise an elongated member of generally concave configuration, having retaining flanges extending along upper and lower edges. Flexible pricing tags, of paper or plastic material and containing pricing, product information and typically bar code identification, can be easily installed in and removed from the pricing channels to maintain product pricing and information on a relatively up-to-date basis.
Currently, there is a desire on the part of many supermarkets and mass merchandisers in particular to substitute so-called "electronic labels" for conventional printed labels formed of flexible paper or plastic. The electronic labels are self-contained electronic devices (powered by batteries, solar panels or other means) including a display window with a liquid crystal display or the like for presenting the desired product and pricing information, bar coding and the like. An individual electronic label is provided for each product classification, in the same manner as conventional printed labels. A particularly desirable and advantageous feature of the electronic labels is the ability to control and change them remotely from a central computer via wireless communication. This enables rapid, remote controlled repricing of products as frequently as desired. For example, a store may easily reprice many of its products in accordance with observed traffic flow patterns during the course of a typical day, as by having special sales during a one or two hour period when traffic is customarily low, in order to encourage a greater uniformity of daily traffic patterns. Such short term repricing is essentially impossible to conduct on a large scale with conventional manual pricing techniques.
Along with the many advantages of electronic labels, come certain problems that must be solved and accommodated. As will be appreciated, an electronic label is in the nature of a calculator or small computer, and is many times larger, bulkier and heavier than a conventional label. They are thus considerably more difficult to mount along the front edges of the display shelves. Electronic labels are also quite costly and thus need to be protected against damage from contact with shopping carts, for example. Additionally, the liquid crystal or other electronic displays of the electronic labels can be difficult to read if viewed at a substantial angle to the face of the display window. Accordingly, it is important to mount the electronic label so that it tends to be relatively square to the viewing direction of the shopper. Thus, labels at or near normal eye level can be relatively vertically oriented, whereas those mounted on lower shelves optimally are disposed at an angle facing upwardly toward the viewer, with the optimal angle to the vertical being greater at progressively lower shelf levels.
In accordance with the invention, a new and improved arrangement is provided for housing and mounting of electronic labels at the front edges of product display shelving, enabling the electronic labels to be easily but ruggedly mounted, well protected and adjustably positioned. The devices of the invention enable electronic labels to be utilized in an entirely practical and effective way in conjunction with display shelving of existing design and construction, such that the installation of electronic labels does not require extensive rebuilding of the display fixtures.
One aspect of the invention is directed to the provision of a novel and improved holder for an electronic label. The label holder, preferably formed by extrusion processes, comprises a back wall and upper and lower, forwardly extending flange walls for receiving and tightly gripping the upper and lower edges of an electronic label device. The label holder incorporates a continuous mounting strip, which extends along the full length of the label holder back wall and is connected to an upper portion of the holder by means of a coextruded flexible living hinge section, enabling the mounting strip to be disposed at a variety of angles with respect to the back wall of the label holder. A transparent cover, also of extruded or co-extruded plastic material, is closed over the front of the label holder to enclose and protect an electronic label installed within the main holder section.
The attached, hingable mounting strip is provided with a continuous, downwardly opening slot which serves dual functions: It enables the mounting strip to be mounted upon an upwardly extending support element, by which the label holder and the contained electronic label can be mounted firmly in a pricing channel. The slot also provides for the reception of a removable angle bracket by which the hinge angle between the mounting strip and the back wall of the holder may be varied, in order to present the electronic label at a desired viewing angle.
The present invention is also directed to a variety of mounting clips or brackets which are readily and securely installed in pricing channels of various sizes and configurations, to accommodate easy and secure mounting of the above mentioned label holders and the electronic labels contained therein. In this respect, conventional pricing channels come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and the invention contemplates the provision of a variety of mounting clips of novel design and construction to accommodate the conventional variety of channel sizes and shapes. In one preferred form of the invention, the mounting clip is constructed in two pieces slidably related to each other. At least one and preferably both pieces are provided with an inclined surface, such that lateral adjustment of one part of the clip relative to the other changes the overall height of the clip so that it can be tightly fitted in a variety of pricing channels.
In another preferred form of the invention, a one-piece clip is designed to be installed in the pricing channel in either of two reversible orientations to accommodate a wide range of channel dimensions.
In yet other preferred embodiments of the invention, intended for use in conjunction with metal shelving provided on the top with regularly spaced through openings, novel mounting clips are provided with lugs or tabs arranged to be received in such openings and with a clamping portion arranged to grip the bottom portions of the shelving.
In any of its forms, the invention serves to accommodate in a highly practical, economical and effective way the mounting and display of electronic labels in connection with existing, conventional display shelving.
For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and to the accompanying drawings.